I’ve been reading The Great Gatsby lately and noticed that Fitzgerald is highlighting a deep truth about money: money complicates things.
How is money complicated?
(1) It is a limited help not a limitless cure. Money can help with certain life things such as lavish shelter, not worried about insurance and appointments, provides stability and freedom, and gives a superficial status symbol. Money can help with certain aspects of life, but it cannot cure everything about your life.
In Gatsby, one’s wealth is actually a means for moral decadence and investigation. In other words, money complicates morality and exposes our identity especially if we have a “glowing” aura due to wealth.
The book’s beginning revolves around the narrator’s desire to be rich. The first two chapters introduces various themes in that money does not make life better but exposes identities and equalizes society. Gatsby’s identity is eventually maligned and the moral decay of society is equalized despite one’s revenue.
Money cannot buy a better morality. Be content with your wages.
(2) It makes real friendships even harder. Gatsby’s parties and funeral exposes the facade of fake friendships. In the book, people want money and Jay was the person closest to what rich looked like. The parties were just circles of superficiality. True friendships remain or at least begin and continue despite any financial status or privilege. A friend sticks with you in the suffering and the sunshine. Gatsby’s funeral demonstrates that the funeral recipients were slim in comparison to the parties.
Money cannot buy true friends. Our funerals reveal our impact on others.
(3) It demands investigation while evoking fascination. The truth will eventually expose everything while fascination dies out because of the truth. Money complicates people’s perception of you. Even worse, one’s wealth demands that investigation of it will take root in people’s minds.
Gatsby’s wealth was a mark of mystery and investigation. Eventually, his identity is exposed as his wealth’s source and revenue was found out to be illegal. A reproached life will wreck havoc on one’s person. Money is not enough. One’s identity will be exposed and that exposition will turn fascination into disgust as with Nick.
Being ostentatious will only lead to others developing an investigative mind about your lavishness. Many who see who your really are will only become disappointed. We are all Gatsby in heart. We make much of ourselves and this never ends well. Humility is a virtue worth pursuing.
Money complicates our morality, our hearts, our friendships, and our character.